A game jam is an event where people create a video game from the beginning. Depending on the rules, participants may work alone or in groups. The event usually lasts between 24 and 72 hours. People who join often include programmers, game designers, artists, writers, sound designers, and others who work in areas related to making games. Some game jams are simply opportunities to make games, while others are competitions that give out prizes. A few games created during these events were later released as complete games. Traditionally, game jams focus on video games, but sometimes they also involve making board games.

History

The term "game jam" comes from the words "game" and "jam session." A jam session is a musical event where people create music quickly without much planning. In the same way, a game jam is an event where game developers create early versions of experimental game ideas into playable games.

Before game jams, there were events called rapid creation challenges. One example is the Interactive Fiction Competition, which started in 1995. Another example is NaNoWriMo, a writing challenge that began in 1999.

The earliest known game jam is called SpeedHack. It started in 1999 and ended in 2015. Another early game jam is SizeHack 2000.

In March 2002, video game developers Chris Hecker and Sean Barrett wanted to test how well modern computer hardware could display many moving images, called sprites. They worked with other developers, including Doug Church, Jonathan Blow, and Casey Muratori, to create a special game engine that could handle a large number of sprites. Hecker and Barrett invited a small group of developers to their office in Oakland, California, to create new games using this engine. They called this event the 0th Indie Game Jam. This was the first time the term "game jam" was used in writing. Other game jams, like Ludum Dare (since 2002) and LT Game Jam (since 2002), also began around this time. These early jams focused on technology and programming skills. Many participants worked alone, and some jams required the use of custom game engines. Ludum Dare originally called itself a "competition" but now offers both jams and competitions as separate events.

The Nordic Game Jam was first held in January 2006. It introduced a model where teams formed and received a theme before the event began. This model was later used by the Global Game Jam, which started in 2009, and it helped game jams focus more on teamwork. Over time, game jams were also organized for specific causes, such as the Health Games Challenge (2010) and the Fukushima Game Jam (2012). In 2013, the Train Jam marked the beginning of game jams being part of the experience economy. By 2013, at least 1,290 game jams had been held on the website itch.io.

Format

Some game jams happen in local places like universities, conference halls, or private spaces. The Global Game Jam occurs at the end of January each year and takes place in over 800 locations across more than 100 countries worldwide. Ludum Dare is an example of a virtual game jam, where participants usually stay at home but share their work at the end of the event.

Game jams usually have short time limits, lasting from a few hours to several days. These time limits help create a sense of urgency, similar to meeting a deadline, and encourage teams to think creatively under pressure.

A game jam may focus on a specific theme, and all games made during the event must follow that theme. Themes are often announced just before the event starts to prevent participants from preparing in advance or reusing old materials. Themes also help guide developers and inspire new ideas.

Ludum Dare 24, a competitive game jam, had the theme "Evolution." According to the rules, participants were encouraged to create games based on this theme, but they were not required to do so. This allowed some games to be made without following the theme.

The tools and technology used can vary depending on the type of game being created and the skills of the participants. In a video game jam, teams often include at least one programmer and one artist. Programmers use tools that help build games quickly to meet time limits. Artists may use creative software or tools included in programs like Scratch and Kodu Game Lab. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and GitHub are available for participants, but they are not suitable for young students. Instead, moderated sharing features on websites like Scratch and Kodu are recommended for educational purposes.

Non-digital game jams also exist. These events focus on creating board games or card games. For example, during Stanford University’s 2013 Entrepreneurship Week, a team made a game that used physical objects. Non-digital game jams were tested at some universities in the United Kingdom, and both students and staff gave positive feedback about the experience.

Purpose

Game jams are organized for many reasons. Lai et al. (2021) describe several categories and examples:

• Challenge & technology – These events are similar to hackathons, where people work together to solve problems quickly. Some definitions say that game jams focus on the process of creating games, not just the final product. However, it is unclear exactly how to separate these types of events.
• Commercial game jams – In events like Amnesia Fortnight, teams create game ideas that receive the most votes from people. Participants pay to get a prototype of the game, making this a commercial example. Game jams have also been used to promote products and companies.
• Experience economy – Game jams take place in unusual settings, such as on trains, boats, and airplanes, or in cabins with limited electricity and water. These locations offer unique experiences compared to regular game development.
• Games industry commentary – Some game jams are created in response to events in the games industry. For example, the removal of Flappy Bird led to a game jam called Flappy Jam.
• Meta – Some game jams humorously use the idea of game jams themselves. For example, the 0h Game Jam happened during a time change, making the start and end times appear the same.
• Part of other events – Some game jams are part of larger events, such as academic or industry conferences, including those related to other subjects like art and technology.
• Purposeful game jams – Organizations have used game jams to support causes like climate change, diversity, and cultural activism. These events also raise awareness about disasters and current events.
• Regional affiliation – Some game jams are connected to specific regions or communities.
• Teaching & learning – Some game jams include science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) themes to introduce underrepresented groups to game development. A study also found that game jams help teach career skills and social abilities.

In classrooms, game jams help students practice teamwork, creativity, planning, problem-solving, and diversity. Teachers may include activities like "circle flap," "social ball," and "name gesture" to build social skills. When combined with physical prototyping, these activities improve communication among teams.

Participants join game jams to learn new skills, meet others, and have fun. A study showed that participants often improved their social skills after attending. However, time commitments can make it hard for university students to join, especially if the game jam lasts for many weeks.

Games

Many games began as projects created during game jams. For example, Surgeon Simulator 2013 was made for the 2013 Global Game Jam. The theme of the event was "heartbeats," which inspired the developers to create a game about a heart transplant with difficult physics and tools. The game became popular after it was released at the game jam. Its popularity led to a full version being released on Steam. By April 2014, the game had over 2.3 million Let's Play videos on YouTube, totaling more than 200 million views. Another example is Baba Is You, which was created for the 2017 Nordic Game Jam and also became a successful game.